Mr. Foley (for
himself, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania,
Mr. Simmons, and
Ms. Bordallo) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide that
World War II merchant mariners who were awarded the Mariners Medal shall be
provided eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs health care on the same
basis as veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart.

1.

World War II merchant
mariners awarded the Mariners Medal to be provided priority for Department of
Veterans Affairs health care on same basis as veterans awarded the Purple
Heart

(a)

Health care
priority

Sections 1705(a)(3) and 1710(a)(2)(D) of title 38,
United States Code, are amended by inserting or the Mariners
Medal after the Purple Heart.

(b)

Mariners Medal
defined

Section 1701 of such
title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(11)

The term Mariners Medal
means the medal authorized to be awarded pursuant to section 3 of the Act of
May 10, 1943, entitled An Act to provide for the issuance of devices in
recognition of the services of merchant sailors (Public Law 52 of the
78th Congress), to any person, who while serving on any vessel in the American
merchant marine during the World War II period, was wounded, suffered physical
injury, or suffered through dangerous exposure as a result of an act of an
enemy of the United
States.